Fröhliche Weihnachten
by TheRookieKing412
Summary: Ahiru mistakenly tells Pique she's dating someone, and Fakir owes Rue a favor. The fake dating at Christmas, there was only one bed, mutual pining, and cuddling fanfic we need this Christmas.
1. Uh-Oh

Ahiru was in big trouble.

There was no other way to describe it, all she could think of was the fact that she had just lied to her cousin, and that her cousin was going to tell her mom - Ahiru's auntie - and then her auntie was going to tell the other aunties and they would tell it to Oma and then she would tell Old Oma.

Old Oma, whose last wish was to see her last grandchild situated and married.

She'd probably be so happy to hear that Ahiru, her last unwed great granddaughter was bringing someone to to the Big Mallard Christmas Dinner down in Nordlingen town.

Ahiru groaned, her phone falling out of her hands as she slipped out of her chair and onto the floor, only to curl up into a little ball and sob her eyes out.

Why did she have to tell Pique _anything_?

And why did Pique have to tell her everything.

It wasn't her fault Pique had to the gift of talking nonstop for hours and that Ahiru developed the skill of blocking out her voice and saying "uh-huh" over and over until the conversation ended.

So when Pique said "So are you bringing a man over for Christmas dinner."

And Ahiru responded "uh-huh"

And Pique started squealing into the phone and going off about wedding plans and oh whoever this dark mysterious stranger could be!

Ahiru couldn't believe what Pique was going on about, she and Lillie had their wedding years ago, and as far as she was concerned no one in her generation of cousins like men except her.

"Pique, what are you talking about?" Ahiru asked hesitantly, her heart pounding in her chest.

"Uh, duh! You're bringing your new boyfriend for Christmas, right?"

Ahiru felt her heart stop, she felt the wind being knocked right out of her because the last time she had a boyfriend when was she was still in Nordy, and still in high school.

It had been five years since she had been in high school.

So now she was on the floor, groaning quietly to herself.

There was a knock on her desk.

"Hello, Ahiru? What are you doing down there?"

Ahiru peeled her hands away from her face and looked up at Rue who was looking down at her in concern, the lamp posed behind her making the light look like a halo.

It was a shame Rue was married, too.

Ahiru let out another groan and rolled into her stomach.

"My cousin thinks I'm bringing a man to Christmas dinner." She mumbled into the carpet.

"Ahiru dear, _what_ did you say?"

Ahiru lifted her head off the floor. "My cousin thinks I'm bringing a man to Christmas dinner!"

"Oh. Oh Ahiru dear. Ahiru you don't _know _any men."

"Mytho's a man."

Rue scoffed, "Fine, not any available men. Just call her back and tell her you don't have a boy-"

"I _can't_! She told her mom whose going to tell the other aunties, and Auntie Ruth is going to tell Oma, and Oma is going to be so happy that I found someone she's going to tell Old Oma, and Old Oma wants all her grandchild and great grandchildren to get married before she goes off to heaven and if I call her up and tell her I'm not even remotely close to getting married she'll get so upset I think she might die."

Ahiru took in a gulp of air before letting out a loud, long groan.

"Oh, well uh, that's- that's not too bad."

"Rue, do you know what I just said?" Ahiru sat up, her head banging against the underside of her desk. She whimpered and rubbed the back of her head. "Ow. I don't _have _a man to bring to our family dinner."

"I know. Let me think." Rue bit her lip and sat in Ahiru's chair. "What if you called back and told her you broke up?"

Ahiru squirmed under the desk uncomfortably, "No, I think Pique will accuse me of not wanting the family to meet my boyfriend."

"Really? Alright." And then Rue had a thought, her face lit up and it went unnoticed by Ahiru, hiding fb behind her hands once more.

Rue jabbed Ahiru's side with her toe. "Ahiru, dear, you know I have a brother right?"

"A half brother, right?" Her words muffled by her hands.

"Mmhmm. And you know that we don't really celebrate the holidays."

"You and Mytho do."

"Right, but my brother and I don't. Didn't. And he still doesn't."

Ahiru lowered her hands, peeking out but not willing to look over at Rue.

"So what are you saying."

Rue crossed her leg over the other. "That he owes me a favor."

Fakir owed his sister a favor.

What was worse was that it happened a few years ago and Rue lorded it over his head at every opportunity available to her.

He thought she would keep that forever to use as blackmail.

He never thought she'd actually call it in.

"What?"

"No hello? No how are you my beloved sister? Just what? That's very rude of you."

Fakir sighed, and pinched the bridge of his nose. "What do you want, beloved sister."

"That's better." Rue cleared her throat, and he could hear her sitting up straighter. "Do you remember Ahiru?"

Fakir pursed his lips. "No."

"No? My friend from college? The teacher at the ballet studio Mytho and I owe? Who played the Snow Queen in last years production of The Nutcracker that you kept asking me about? Red hair, freckles, and blue sky eyes? That's what you called them, right?"

Fakir grit his teeth. "Fine, I remember Ahiru."

"That's what I thought."

Fakir stood up from his spot, he put a hand in his pocket and started walking down the park path, it was ridiculous to be there, it was freezing, and he had to be careful where he walked, but he just needed some fresh air.

"So? What about her."

Rue paused, and as certain as she until now, she faltered.

It was never a good sign when Rue faltered.

"She has a dilemma."

"And?"

"You can help her."

"I can now, can I?"

"Yes."

"With what? Does she have an essay to write?"

"No." Rue took a deep breath. "She needs a fake boyfriend."

Fakir liked to think there was a slippery patch of sidewalk that hadn't been salted, or he stepped on his shoelace, because there was no other logical explanation for how he landed on his ass.

"Hello? Hello? Fakir!"

Fakir reached out and pulled his phone free from the snow. "I'm sorry, what did you just say?"

Fakir sat as he listened to Rue's explanation as to why this was happening, and he could slowly free the seat of his pants get wetter and colder,

"No."

"Fakir-"

"I said no."

"May I remind you that I have a favor! And do you remember what Autor said to me-"

"You don't have to remind me."

"On our date which you made me go on?"

"Rue! I get it!" Fakir gave a long heavy sigh. "Just- fine. Fine, I get it. I'll- I'll do it. But you!" He lowers his voice to a hiss. "You can no longer mention Autor, or that date, or what he said to you ever again after this."

"I know how favors work, moron."

Fakir hang up the phone, he stood and put in the back pocket, before he realized his phone would get water damage back there and moved it to his front pocket.

He felt it vibrate and took the phone out of his pocket, a lengthy text from Rue displaying all the little details about what he was supposed to do for Ahiru.

Fakir owed Rue a favor, but he wasn't sure if Autor kissing Rue after years of lusting for her only for him to tell her he was pretty sure he was gay was worth all of this.

Ahiru sat at a table in a small cafe, probably not wearing the most winter friendly outfit, in a mini skirt and thigh high socks, but at least she had a coat and hat on.

As well as a warm cup of hot chocolate in her hands.

But the cold wasn't the only reason her knees were knocking.

Today was the day before she would leave to go back home, but today was also the day she was meeting up with Fakir and laying down some rules.

And maybe staging a break up. Just maybe. She hadn't really thought it all the way through yet.

She was fiddling with her cup, her eyes shooting up every time the door opened and she was sure she looked like a crack addict and the workers were coming up with a plan on how to get her out without causing a scene.

"Hey."

She nearly jumped out of her chair when she looked up and saw Fakir as he placed a cup on coffee in the table and sat down across from her.

"You! But how did you-!" Ahiru cleated her throat and stuck out her hand. "I don't think we've officially met before. I'm Ahiru Mallard, part owner of König Studio and ballet teacher."

"Fakir Basilio, author." He shook her hand and she smiled.

"Rue told me about that, but she never gave me any names."

"I write under a penname, she didn't want to give me away."

Ahiru shrugged, "So, anyway. How are you?"

"Cut to the chase, Ms. Ahiru."

Ahiru shrunk back. "You- you can just call me Ahiru, Ms. might be too formal if my family thinks-"

He nodded. "Right. Should I call you by any endearments?"

Ahiru blushes and shook her head. "No, no! It's okay. I think just say you're a private person and don't like to be intimate in front of others."

Fakir nodded, he picked up his cup and took a sip. "Touching?"

Ahiru could feel her face get warmer.

"As private as I may be, your family will still be expected something. I won't kiss you."

Ahiru tucked a piece of hair behind her ear, "Um, I was going to say no kissing, so you're okay. Just- just hugging and hand holding would he believable, I think."

"My car or yours?"

"What?"

He took a drink. "When we leave tomorrow, my car or yours."

Ahiru paused to think, but only about her many almost accidents. "Yours. They'd expect you to drive anyway."

He nodded, and Ahiru took a slow sip of her hot chocolate.

"You know, I really appreciate you doing this, and I know it's selfish of me to ask this of you, and I know you don't celebrate Christmas anyway, so it's not like I'm stealing you away, but I'm still grateful that you would play along with this for me, just because I'm scared of telling the truth, and-" she gasped, placing a hand over her mouth. "I'm sorry."

He shook his head, the slightest of slight smiles ghosting over his lips. "It's fine. It'll give me something to do over the holidays instead of mope."

She smiled, sitting a little straighter.

He asked her a few more questions, specifically about how long of a trip this would be - just a week - and if he needed to put in some money for gas - no, but the thought was appreciated - and if there was anything he needed to bring outside of winter clothes -ice skates, and no she would elaborate further - and he left after their drinks were done.

"Aren't you cold?"

Ahiru shook her hair out of her face as he walked her to her car. "No." But he should have seen the goose flesh on her thighs.

He opened her door and she watched, and waited for the heater to turn on, as he walked to his car.

Now all she had to do was wait for tomorrow to come.

"Auntie Ruth is the oldest of the Aunties, her younger sisters are Beth and Candace. Their mom is my great auntie Cherri. My great Aunties are Cherri, Mari, and my Oma is Bea. Auntie Mari has two children-"

Ahiru sat in the passenger seat going over who was who in her family, all her cousins, her aunts, her Oma and Old Oma, they were all Mallards by their Great Opa and all their daughters and granddaughters kept the family name.

And sometimes their husbands took the name, too.

"I'm closest to my cousin Pique and her wife Lillie, but that's because Auntie Candace and my mama were best friends."

"Were?" Fakir asked. He had been silently taking in everything she had said, the radio playing low, and only offering short confirmations that he was still listening.

Ahiru fidgeted, "She passed when I was thirteen."

"Oh. I'm sorry."

Ahiru twisted in her seat. "No, it's okay." Pulling at the seatbelt so as to stop it digging into her neck. "It was a long time ago, and I know it's something we have in common."

Fakir nodded. "I guess you would know because of Rue, wouldn't you?"

"Yeah." Ahiru tucked her leg underneath her and tested her elbow on the center armrest. "Rue and I still bring her flowers on her birthday, and we close the studio in the day she died."

Fakir nodded, shifting awkwardly in his seat and adjusting his grip on the wheel. "Rue will call me and invite me, but I-" he sighed heavily. "It's a day I need to be alone."

Ahiru nodded.

"Do you visit your mother often?"

Ahiru looked over at him the moment he looked at her. His eyes leaving the road for a split second to look at her.

"I don't get to." She said softly, "She's in Nordlingen, so-" Ahiru shrugged. "I get to see her for the holidays."

"And just a warning, my family is a bit-"

"AHIRU!"

"Loud." She finished, but got knocked to the ground as Pique tackled her.

"What _took _you so long?"

"She has to go the bathroom twenty times." Fakir said, unloading their suitcases from the backseat of his car.

Pique stood and offered Ahiru a hand. "So you're Ahiru's mysterious mystery lover."

"Pique!" Ahiru ground out from her teeth, and she could see Fakir's cheeks get rosy.

"I've never been called that before, but yes." He stuck out his hand for Pique to take, and when she placed her hand in his she pulled him into a hug and wrapped her arms around him, patting him hard on the back.

He gave Ahiru a surprised but pleading look. She smiled and shrugged, there was nothing she could do now.

Fakir was pulled into the house and Pique dragged him around introducing him to everyone with Ahiru in tow.

Fakir was kissed on the cheek, bear hugged, pinched on the cheek first, and Ahiru was an afterthought.

They were all together at Old Oma's house, a century's old manor that had enough rooms for all of them, and table with a plate for each, and yet it still felt cramped as Fakir was passed around, bumping shoulders, and barely getting by.

He meet her cousins, her aunts, her great aunts, her Oma, who was hurriedly knitting an extra sweater for him (she was doing her best with such short notice) and he meet Old Oma.

"You really don't have to do this." He was telling Oma Bea. "It's too much."

"Now, now." She patted his hand. "Ahiru is my only granddaughter and she's finally bringing someone home! You deserve a nice hand knit sweater made by Oma."

He gave her a smile. "Thank you."

She held it to her chest. "Now don't look, I still want it to be a surprise!"

He nodded and opened his mouth to say more when-

"Young man, come here."

Ahiru's head snapped to the door, she took Fakir's hand and lead him away from Oma.

"This is Old Oma Eiche." She whispered into his ear.

He was lead into a small living room, and the first thing he saw was a roaring fireplace, the flames reaching into the chimney, and it made the room hot, but the next thing he saw was an old woman with hair whiter than snow sitting on rocking chair.

She didn't stand, but raised her head to look up at him, she gave him a toothless smile and beckoned him closer.

"Your name, young man."

"Fakir Basilio."

She hummed and nodded. "Ahiru Basilio. That's not too terrible."

Ahiru looked down and blushed, was it too late to say she and Fakir weren't really dating?

"I'm glad you're here, Mr. Fakir, there's a lot of heavy lifting my two grandsons can't do themselves, and-" she paused and leaned in closer to him. "Ahiru has been alone for too long."

"Old Oma-"

She started to laugh, a pretty sound, like silver bells. "I'm teasing. Young man, get that stricken look off your face and be merry, it is Christmas and you're with family."

Fakir nodded. "Yes, ma'am."

"Oh none of that." She patted his hand, "Call me Old Oma."

He nodded. "Yes, Old Oma."

Ahiru couldn't fight the smile, she knew that she and Fakir weren't really dating, but it was a nice thought, imagining him with a great big family like hers.

There was a knock at the door and Edel stuck her head in.

"Am I interrupting?"

"Auntie Edel!" Ahiru cried out, running to Edel and wrapping her arms around her.

"Hello, cantaloupe, I had Femio move yours and Fakir's bags into the gold room."

"O-oh, we'll be sharing?"

Edel tilted her head to the side, "Of course. I'm sure you would sneak into each other's rooms at night anyway." She winked and Ahiru grew flustered.

"Auntie!"

Edel laughed, "Come along."

Fakir took Ahiru's hand, purely for the sake of putting on a show as they were lead back through the family and living rooms until they reached a staircase that went up and up and up.

The festivities would be held at the Mallard Manor, and those who came out of town, like Ahiru and Fakir, were welcome to stay in the many guest rooms that were available, while the rest could go back to their homes at the end of the day.

Edel opened the door of the gold room, saying: "Dinner is to be in one hour and if neither of you help make it, you'll help clean up."

With the door shut, Ahiru fell against it and heaved out a sigh. "Oh my goodness!"

Fakir let out an airy chuckle, "They're a lot like you."

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"Nothing." Fakir turned to walk further into the room, taking in the goldenrod wallpaper and daisy colored furniture. "So this is why they call it the gold room."

He placed his hand on the quilt that lay on the bed, a pale yellow decorated with blue flowers and green leaves, the one variation from all the mustard.

"Oh."

"What?" Ahiru asked, kicking away from the wall and standing next to him. "Oh."

Ahiru usually stayed in the golden room when she came to visit and forgot one minor detail.

There was only one bed.

"I can sleep on the floor!" She said, as soon as she realized.

"No, no it's fine I'll sleep on the floor."

"But your back."

"What?" He turned to her.

"Rue says you have a bad back."

Fakir shook his head. "I'm not letting you sleep on the floor. Maybe-" and he blushed. "We could share it. If you don't mind."

Ahiru felt her lips part, and she blinked, it's not that that thought didn't occur to her, but- however, that was just, that was too-

Intimate.

"Ahiru?"

"No!" She quaked. "I don't mind!"

"Alright then. Do you want to go down and help make dinner?"

She shook her head, holding her hands, "I'm not a very good cook."

He nodded. "We'll help with dishes then." And moves to take their suitcases and place them on the bed before he organized his things in the drawer.

She started to do that same, but couldn't stop the thought that came to her.

Boy, this was going to be a very interesting week.


	2. Eggnog

Fakir never shared a bed with anyone.

Maybe once, or twice, when Rue was young and got scared, and mom wasn't home to crawl into bed with.

But he had gone through life without having to, needing to, or wanting to sleep in the same bed with anyone.

Rue was to blame for this.

Dinner was simple and amazing, and even when he had filled up his platter all the aunties insisted he had more, and since most of the family had helped with dinner, it was up to him and Ahiru to do the dishes. Which he didn't mind, they worked well together.

It was calmer after that, the cousins and aunties brought out their phones, the great aunties were content to talk amongst themselves and Old Oma walked back to her fireplace room and sat back in her rocking chair.

It wasn't late, but after driving all day, meeting her family, and cleaning, he would have preferred to be alone for an hour or two.

"I'm going to go upstairs, would you like to join me?"

He was hoping she would say no, so he could be truly alone before she came up to retire for the evening, but he saw her worried glance, aimed at her cousins and knew that they would question her all about him.

Questions she didn't have answers to.

"C'mon." He said, not giving her a chance to politely decline.

"Go up without me, I'll say goodnight to everybody."

Fakir looked out over the members of the house. "Would it be rude if I went up without saying anything?"

"No, no, it's okay. They'll see you tomorrow."

He nodded and headed to the stairs, and before he was half way up, the house erupted with noise as everyone got up to kiss her goodnight.

Fakir sat on his side of the bed, reading on his phone, not watching Ahiru as she scurried around their room, going in and out of the attached bathroom, getting ready for bed.

She stepped out of the bathroom and turned off the light before considering it and going back in.

He shook his head, a soft smile on his face, as he continued to read.

"Okay!" She said, flopping on her side of the bed. "I think I'm ready. Oh, do you want me to get the light?"

Fakir nodded and she slipped off and turned off all the lights except the two on their nightstands.

"So, what do you think? Of everyone. Will you be okay?"

He side-eyed her, raising a brow before he returned to his book. "In what way?"

"Well, just with everyone, and for the rest of the week."

He nodded. "It's not terrible. I'm sure I'll be okay."

"They'll try to get you alone, and me alone. Normally I'm so open, something like this? I'm sure they're dying to know about everything."

"Alright then, should we come up with a story?"

"Um, sure, that sounds good. Like when we met and how we started dating."

He nodded, unsure about how he felt with lying to her family, and she seemed nervous too, but about what?

Lying to her family?

Lying about _him?_

Sharing a bed with him?

He was nervous too.

They came up with a believable story, close enough to the truth, and with that he plugged in his phone, turned off the lights and turned his back to her, determined to stay as close to the edge of the bed as he could.

Ahiru would consider herself to be a morning person—she woke up early to feed her birds, to contemplate and yearn, and her yearning was often the cause of her almost being late.

So she was glad that she woke up first, she would hate for Fakir to get embarrassed considering he had wrapped himself completely around her.

His arms were around her waist, pulling her to his chest, and she could feel his jaw hovering just above her head.

She smiled, because despite the fact that she had no right to, she enjoyed it. He was warm, and if she just closed her eyes-

She sat up viciously and rolled out of the bed, waking Fakir up as he mumbled something incoherent.

"Mm! Oma's making blueberry pancakes, we should probably start heading down!"

He rubbed his eyes. "Should we change first?"

"For breakfast? Of course not." Ahiru adjusted her nightgown before stuffing her feet into slippers and motioning for Fakir to follow.

"Ahiru, it's not even seven."

"I know. We're early birds."

She looked back over her shoulder and smiled at him, in a rumpled shirt and still wearing his bedhead he looked kinda cu-

She nearly tripped, but he caught her elbow.

"Watch where you're going!"

"Right! Sorry!"

She lead him down into the kitchen, and to the table where Old Oma, and two of her cousins sat.

"Good morning!" Ahiru placed a kiss on Old Oma's temple before sitting down. "Oh Charon, have you met Fakir yet?"

"Not fully, good morning Mr. Fakir." Charon offered Fakir a warm smile. "This is my ward, Raetsel."

"Good morning, Fakir, will you be staying the whole week?" Raetsel asked, smiling at him politely.

"Good morning, I'll be staying as long as everyone will have me."

"Don't say that, Fakir dear, they'll keep you forever." Raetsel winked before giggling.

"Good morning, cantaloupe." Oma said, as she brought a plate of stacked pancakes to the table. She kissed Ahiru's cheek.

"Cantaloupe?" Fakir asked. "E- Aunt Edel called you that last night, too."

"Oh, yeah." Ahiru teetered our an awkward laugh. "It's a family pet name."

"Yes, when Spätzchen was pregnant all her cravings were cantaloupe." Oma patted Ahiru's cheek. "We thought she would come out as a little cantaloupe instead of the baby girl we got. Eat, cantaloupe, we have lots to do today!"

Oma piled food high on her plate and then did the same for Fakir.

"You're both too skinny."

Fakir was ushered outside by several of the aunties at the arrival of the last Mallard and his fiancé.

Aunt Candace patted his arm saying, "You can help take up their luggage with these big strong arms of yours."

Ahiru came up beside him and took his hand as they walked out to the blueberry colored car.

"Bonjour! Joyeux Noël!"

Pique ran out from the porch, "Femio!"

They wrapped their arms around each other and started speaking to each other in French.

"They went to college together in Paris." Ahiru whispered into his ear. "And like to show off whenever they can."

Fakir nodded, "Let's go help them unload."

"Mmhmm." Ahiru let herself be led into the snow by him, but they were already beaten to the trunk as someone started pulling out the luggage.

"I can't believe this." Fakir groaned, shaking his head when his _writing agent _pulled a suitcase out and into the snow. "Autor, how are you?"

"Oh, you know Autor?" Ahiru smiled between them.

"Yes, we work together." Autor answered. "Ahiru, when Pique told us you were dating someone I had no idea it would be Fakir."

Ahiru smiled and shrugged. "We know each other through Rue."

"Ah." Autor said, "How is Rue?"

"Still bitter." Fakir told him, offering to take the bag from his hand. "Aunt Edel said to put you in the blue room."

"'Aunt Edel?" Autor smirked, "They must really like you."

Fakir looked back at the porch, where all the aunties stood waiting for Femio and Autor to come in to be greeted. "Yes, I suppose they do."

"So, Ahiru you must tell me _everything _about this new man candy you brought with you." Femio smiled suggestively at her from where he sat and decorated a platter of cookies.

Ebine stood in the kitchen, making more, as she and all her cousins sat at the dining table and decorated the cookies for the week.

Freya, and her wife Malen, Pique and Lillie, Anteaterina—whose wife was unfortunately unable to come—Raetsel, Ahiru and Femio; with all cousins accounted for except Charon and Goatette, Ahiru felt the hot spotlight turn on her.

"Did you just meet? Or have you kept it a secert for all these years?" Freya asked, looking up from the snowflake cookie she had turned into a flower.

"Tell us about him, Ahiru." Malen asked, placing a perfect snowman onto the plate of some cookies.

Okay, they had gone over this! There was nothing to worry about!

"Is he big?" Femio asked.

Ahiru felt her jaw fall, and her cheeks grew a little bit too rosy as her cousins snickered around her.

"Aw, I was going to ask that." Lillie pouted. "Is he?"

"How would I know! How- why-why- To even ask that is-! Insulting! And, and degrading! There's more to a relationship than- than- than what's going on between him and me in the bedroom! The audacity!"

Femio and Lillie shared a look, "He's big." They said together, sending Ahiru into a frenzy of girlish shrieking.

Raetsel laughed behind her hand. "Let me ask you a real question, Ahiru. How did you start dating? He had manners and enough decorum to be polite to the aunties, but he seems so standoffish, I never thought you'd end up with a man like him."

Oh good, that was something she had an answer to.

Ahiru cleared her throat, and touched her cheek to make sure she was cooling down. "It was last year, during the production of The Nutcracker? Remember? I was the Snow Queen and he had brought a bouquet for Rue, his sister, who played the Sugar Plum Fairy, but he gave it to me instead."

There was a chorus of aws.

Ahiru never got that bouquet, but she remembered what Fakir had said the night before. That he wanted to give it to her, but he didn't know her.

She wondered if they would be good friends by now if he did.

"Aw, look at her, she's blushing!" Pique cooed.

Ahiru snapped out of her revive.

"N-no!"

"You've already been dating a year, you shouldn't be embarrassed so easily!" Raetsel teased.

"Oh, we actually haven't been dating that long."

"Oh?" Pique leaned forward. "That whole flower thing didn't get you head over heels in love with him?"

Ahiru grinned, "Well, he started coming to the studio more often, to see me and talk with me."

That was half true, as well, Fakir had started coming to the studio more often, there was nothing more between them than shallow hello's in passing.

"He asked me out over the summer, so it's only been four months."

"Do you think he's the one?" Femio asked, leaning into his hand and batting his lashes.

Uh-oh, that wasn't something they had talked about.

"Oh, well… I don't know."

"C'mon, Fakir, better get going before it gets dark."

Fakir looked up from his book. "Go where?"

Charon stood before him with an axe in hand and Autor in tow. "To the woods, to get a tree."

"Excuse me?"

Ahiru stood at the edge of the porch as she watched Fakir, Charon and Autor bringing back the Christmas tree they had chopped down on a sleigh.

He jumped up onto the porch and wrapped his arms around her.

"Fakir-"

"I think we need a better backstory." He whispered into her ear.

"What happened?"

"Later." He kissed her cheek as a quick cover before he pulled away and helped them haul the tree inside.

Ahiru woke up the next day in a similar position as the day before, except, she had turned into him, her cheek pressed against his chest, her head tucked under his jaw.

"Do we really have to do this?"

Ahiru looked up at him from her seat on the bench as she laced up her skates, she beamed and nodded. "Of course!"

"We're not even at a rink, what if the ice breaks?"

Ahiru giggled, "The lake's been frozen for months, I promise it won't break."

Fakir looked out at the cousins and aunties that were already on the lake, laughing, some preforming stupid ice skating stunts.

"C'mon." Ahiru took his hand and let him out into the ice.

"Wait, Ahiru, no-"

Fakir stumbled out onto the ice and took a few unsteady steps as Ahiru glided out, his hand an iron grip on hers.

She giggled and held his hand with both of hers. "It's not so bad once you start."

He looked down at his feet, trying to get them to move so that Ahiru didn't have to continue to lug him across the ice. She seemed to glide across like she really was a Snow Queen.

His eyes quickly went down to his feet, and regaining his balance.

"I'm going to let go!"

"Wait, what?" Ahiru snakes out of his grasp and floated away, staying close to help if he needed. "Haven't you gone ice skating before?"

"Once. When I was seven. With my parents and Rue."

"Oh."

He tried to walk across the ice like he would a tiled floor, but started to wobble instead.

"See? You're getting the hang of it! Just try not to pick up your-!"

He slipped, and Ahiru slid forward before he could fall and he caught himself on her.

Her arms went around his waist and he could feel his heart pounding. She giggled and craned her neck until she found his face. "You didn't fall! That's amazing!"

His heart started to pound for a different reason.

"I won't let go this time." There was a gentle smile on her face as she pulled away from him and took his hand in hers.

Ahiru and Fakir walked back inside just as Oma and the Great Aunties finished dinner and set it all out in the table.

"Perfect timing, cantaloupe." Oma said. "Come sit! And Old Oma made her old fashioned eggnog."

Ahiru smiled and sat down at the table between Aunt Edel and Fakir.

She smiled pleasantly as food was passed around, but nearly jumped out of her seat when Fakir ran his finger against her arm.

"Can you pass the- thank you."

She gave him a smile but couldn't stop the thoughts that were surrounding her head.

The pure confusion.

Everything was fine! Everything was going so nicely, but between waking up in the morning, so soft and warm, and the nights where they would sit and talk to each other, getting to know each other so that any questions directed at them could be answered with ease.

But now…

The fake kisses he placed on her cheek, or when he held her hand for a moment before deciding to intertwine their fingers, or just waking up in the morning and not being alone.

Ahiru stole the pitcher of eggnog and poured herself a tall glass, but only because she knew how much vodka Old Oma's recipe called for.

"Careful, Ahiru, you'll wake up with a terrible headache if you continue on." Old Oma chuckled.

Ahiru have her a small, guilty smile.

Fakir kept a strong grip on her arm as she stumbled up the stairs.

"I should have stopped you." He said, scolding himself. He kept one had secure in her arm and the other around her waist, keeping her close to him, her head lolling around.

Her foot missed the step and she almost fell. Again.

"Alright, c'mon." Fakir stepped down and placed one of his arms around her knees and picked her up.

She mumbled something against his chest and he swore he heard her say his name.

He got to their room and before he could start to adjust her, she reached down and opened the door.

"You can put me down now, Fakir."

He opened his mouth to argue, but placed her on the floor as tenderly as he could, he let her go, but kept out his arms in case she stumbled.

And stumble she did.

She wobbled and tripped over her own feet before her legs crashed against the bed.

He closed the door and she gasped.

"Don't go, Fakir."

"I'm not going anywhere, I promise." He came up beside her and sat on the bed, he held her wrist, acting as her anchor.

She nodded and wiped her nose before she grabbed the bottoms of her sweater and pulled it off her head.

"Ahiru, wait-"

He tried to turned away, but she grabbed his hand.

"Tomorrow's Christmas." She kicked off her shoes, and starting toeing at her socks in a poor attempt at taking them off. "And after that we won't have to pretend anymore." Ahiru moves over so that she stood in front of him and grabbed his other hand. "But." She tilted her head, her braid falling over her shoulder, she cupped his face, tracing her thumbs along his cheekbones. "I don't- I don't want to not see you anymore. Do you know what I mean?"

He nodded, captivated by the feel of her hands on his face. "Yes, I do."

"So. So you have to come to the studio and- and talk to me. Like how we've been saying."

He nodded, his hands found their way to her waist, his thumbs just barely touching her skin. "I will."

She pressed his forehead to his. "And- and maybe next Christmas you can come back."

"We'll act more like a couple next year."

She tilted her head as if she was going to kiss him, but moved to press her forehead into the crook of his neck.

He moved his hands to wrap around her back and pulled her into the bed, and as soon as her head hit the pillow, she fell asleep.

He brushed her bangs out of her eyes, against her soft skin, and did his best to turn off the lights while still being tangled up in her arms.

It was the first morning that Fakir woke up before Ahiru, he doubted she would remember what she said last night, or what he had promised, but it didn't matter.

He would still keep his promise.

There was a knock at their door.

"Wake up! It's Christmas!"


	3. Snow

"Wake up! It's Christmas!"

"Hm? Oh! Ow!" Ahiru whined, placing a hand to her temple.

"Are you alright?"

"Yeah, I'm-" Ahiru gasped sharply, she looked up shyly through her lashes at Fakir and the concerned look he had on his features as he brushed hair out of her face.

"I don't feel well."

Ahiru got out of the bed as quickly as she could and made her way to the bathroom. The last time she felt like this was on her 21st birthday before she realized just how much alcohol they really put into those mixed cocktails.

But what surprised her was when Fakir knelt down beside her and did his best to keep the wisps of hair out of her face.

"Do you want to stay in here?"

She shook her head. "We can't, it's Christmas. They'll come in here. I'm okay, you don't have to stay in here."

"You're green. Do you need something to drink?"

"Ask Auntie Edel, she'll know what to give me."

He rubbed her back between her shoulder blades and left her alone.

She flushed the toilet and pulled herself up before going to the sink and throwing cold water on her face. She felt better already, but she looked at herself in the mirror. Still in the pink bra she wore yesterday and her jeans, she looked down, one foot covered with a sock.

What did she do last night?

The only thing she could remember was chugging Old Oma's eggnog.

"Oh." She started to groan, placing her forehead in her hands, one long continuous groan that lasted until she heard the door open and Fakir knocking on the doorframe.

"Are you okay?"

She nodded. "I feel better."

He handed her an off colored drink and she scrunched up her nose at it. She plugged her nostrils and downed it.

Fakir sat on the bottom steps of the staircase with Ahiru by his side, she still wasn't feeling well, and when she wasn't paying attention, she would lean against him, and against his better judgement he would let her.

It wouldn't have been honest to say he was surprised that he had gotten any gifts at all, much less a gift from every member of the Mallard flock, he was shocked, flabbergasted, and sure the gifts weren't personal.

Gifts for him, and the such.

But he had never gotten so many gifts in his life.

He and Rue never got each other more than one or two gifts, and occasionally her husband Mytho would buy him a gift, and he definitely got a bottle of red wine from Autor with a red ribbon around the neck.

"Here." Ahiru had said, placing a small box in his lap. "I got it as soon as Rue said you would do it."

It was heavy, and fit well in his hand and it wasn't unforeseen that the gift would be a book.

What bewildered him was what the book was.

_Lohengrin._

Ahiru sat on the staircase, her whole body unashamedly pressed up against Fakir, her cheek squished against his shoulder.

She didn't try to watch his reaction, but was curious about the way his hand paused when he ripped the paper away to reveal the author's name.

She tapped the cover with her finger. "He's my favorite writer. This is my favorite one."

He nodded and kissed her forehead. She didn't miss the cooing of her aunties.

So proud that she finally settled down.

"Here."

"Hm?" She looked down at the shimmering red box that he held out for her.

"I'll be honest, this wasn't planned, but it was something Charon gave me."

She pulled away at the paper and the string until it fell to the floor by her feet.

"He said it was your mother's, that he found it in the old house."

Ahiru felt her mouth fall open, she had been looking everywhere for this.

The little wooden box that played the parting music in Romeo and Juliet. A jewelry box, where her mother placed her wedding ring after Ahiru's father died.

"He told me about it, but outside of your mother passing I didn't know anything about… you. It's why when we came back, I said we needed to do better."

She turned the key, the bittersweet notes playing between them. Ahiru opened the lid to the find the two rings inside, the diamond engagement ring and the golden band. She dumped it out into her hand.

"He probably wanted me to propose."

Ahiru slipped them both into her left ring finger. A size too big, but still.

It was beautiful.

"My father made her this box when they got engaged. That's how they met, you know? They played Romeo and Juliet together."

He nodded. "I remember, you told me."

She pulled away and placed the box beside her on the staircase. "Thank you, Fakir." She wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him close.

He was quick to follow, keeping her in a warm embrace for as long as he could.

Fakir hadn't understood why she brought an empty suitcase until after Christmas morning as she tried to place both hers and his gifts inside.

"You should have told me, I would have brought one."

"Oh no, it's fine, I'll figure it out."

He sat on the bed, unable to fight the small smile that formed in his face as she strategized.

She furrowed her brows, and crinkled her nose, her lips screwing up into some sort of frown.

The rest of the house was in a flurry, packing and saying their goodbyes.

He almost didn't want it to end.

He would have to go back home, to Berlin, to the apartment he lived in by himself.

Back to the same old schedule of researching and writing. Never seeing a single soul except the librarian.

He wouldn't have an excuse to hold Ahiru's hand.

He wondered how she did it. Living so far away from a family that obviously loved her.

Maybe that's what made Christmas so much more wonderful.

"Oh, Fakir?"

"Yes?"

Fakir looked over at Ahiru, she held a small package in her hand, turning it over and over.

"Can we make a stop before we leave town?"

"Of course." He said. "Where do we need to go?"

She handed him the present. "To see my mom."

He smiled and nodded. "What is it?"

Ahiru flopped down next to him in the bed. "It's a letter, I write her one every year so she knows everything that's going on."

Fakir shook it and something rattled around inside. He raised his eyebrow at her and the sound.

"It's silly." She smiled and shook her head. "You'll laugh and say 'that's so stupid'."

He nudged her arm with his elbow until she looked at him. "I'd never say that."

Ahiru smiled and leaned against him until she was able to get her hand back on the box. "It's a rock."

"Just a rock?"

"Well, when I was little." She took the box back and rattled it in her hand. "We would go on hikes and I would try and find the prettiest rock and I would put it in this jar mama had. And she would say they were better than diamonds."

He smiled and nudged her again, "See? That's not stupid."

Ahiru blushed, looking away from his soft expression before she stood back up and finished packing.

"Okay! I got it all in!"

"Next time I see you, young man, we better be calling you Mr. Mallard." Oma joked, patting his shoulder before kissing his cheek. "Take care of my cantaloupe."

"I will." He said.

"And I see it fits!" Oma tugged at the blue sweater he wore, the green initial F knit into the front.

"Thank you, it's wonderful." He said, brushing the front of it.

Oma patted his cheek one last time before he let the other aunties have a turn.

"You have to come back for your birthday, Ahiru, we haven't had a big bash for you since you left for college!" Auntie Ruth said, "And make sure you get the time off to come and see us again. With or without Ahiru."

Fakir looked over at Ahiru, being squished by all her cousins hugging each other at once. "I think it'll be easy to convince her to come with me."

"Okay! I'll call as soon as we're home." Ahiru promised, stepping away from her family to stand beside Fakir. "And we'll-"

"Aw, look! You're under the mistletoe!"

Fakir blinked and looked up before them, where there was in fact mistletoe.

Mistletoe wasn't a tradition he celebrated or partook in, but it was obvious her family did.

"What are you waiting for? Kiss her!"

Fakir looked down at Ahiru, who was already looking up at him.

Just a quick, just a small one.

He ran his hand along her jaw, tilting her head towards him, and closing his eyes he pressed his lips to hers.

He heard her tiny whimper, and was surprised when her own lips started to move against his own, her hand crawling up the front of his shirt, making him quiver.

He pulled away before he let it go any further, looking behind him at all the aunties and cousins who did a terrible job of hiding their giggles behind their hands.

"That's what you get for not kissing all week." Pique said. "Yeah, don't think we haven't noticed."

He rolled his eyes, but Ahiru was blushing.

He may have kissed her, but she was the one that took it above a typical mistletoe kiss.

"We should get going." He wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her outside, all their luggage was in the car, the last thing it needed was a driver and a passenger.

As they walked out into the snow, her family piled out into the porch, enthusiastically waving goodbye as they drove away.

"Alright." He said, turning the heater up as she rubbed her hands together for warmth. "Where's your mother?"

"Mama. It's me again." Ahiru knelt in the snow before a small grave stone, the top piled high with snow, the rest was covered in a thin cover of moss.

Ahiru held the wrapped gift in her hand and put it on the ledge of the stone before she took it and unwrapped it herself.

The stone fell into her hand and she added it to the rows and rows of rocks that already existed on the edge. "It's hard to find really pretty ones in the snow, but I found this one by the river. Isn't it perfect?"

It was a smooth, flat stone, perfect for skipping, but it was completely red, she was sure if she tumbled it, it would be some kind of precious stone, but she liked it in this raw state.

She thought mama would like it, too.

She took out the letter and placed the wrapping paper in the box.

"Can I read it to you, mama?" Ahiru didn't have to wait long for an answer, a gentle wind blew by, blowing her hair out of her face, a sign she always took as her mother's way of saying yes.

Ahiru shifted and cleared her throat. "Dear Mama,

_I don't think you'll be proud of what I've done this past week. And it was an accident, I swear! Sometimes you just don't know how to tell your family the truth. But I told Pique I was with someone, and I didn't have the heart to tell everybody that it wasn't true. _

_So Rue and I -remember Rue? - we came up with this plan that I would have a fake boyfriend. We asked her half brother to do it, and he did. We've met before so it wasn't like we were doing this without knowing each other, but…_

_Mama how did you know you were in love with papa?_

_I've learned so much about a man that I've known for a year in the span of a week than I had ever tried in a span of a year. And even if we were just telling each other about ourselves so we could better lie to my family, I still loved going to bed with him every night and talking about everything. _

_He's wonderful, mama, he looks mean and he scowls a lot, but I like being the person he smiles at._

_Is that selfish, mama? _

_Anyway, we have to go back now, and I'll never see him again except when he comes in to say hi to Rue and Mytho. _

_Will he say hi to me now too?_

_But you probably want to hear about the Aunties and how Oma and Old Oma are doing, don't you?_

_Oma made Fakir a sweater, and Old Oma kept patting his hand. _

_Auntie Cherri and Mari kept making him try the food they made. _

_Auntie Ruth, Beth, Candace, Goatette, and Uncle Charon kept telling him to come back with or without me._

_All my cousins kept making plans for our wedding._

_They really liked him, mama, what do I do when I have to tell them we "broke up"?_

_They were all so happy I had found someone. _

"Anyway, this Christmas was one of the best we've had in a while, if you were here, I'm sure you'd say the same. With Love, Cantaloupe."

Ahiru folded up the letter and placed it under a rock. It would get thrown away as soon as she was out of sight by the groundskeeper, but she already knew that.

She was just happy he didn't move the rocks.

Ahiru patted her newest rock before she stood and walked back to the car, beckoning her with its warmth.

"Point your toes, girls!" Ahiru shouted from the front of the bar as she watched them in the mirror as they performed their tendus.

"And clean finish!" She turned around as they stayed stuck frozen in first position. "Okay good job, pilés!"

Ahiru stood back, playing the music and watching them go through their well remembered pilé routine.

There was a knock at the door and she smiled at the littles, telling them to keep going.

Rue leaned against the doorframe, lightly pushing the curtain out of the way. "How's class?"

"They're doing better."

"Mm. So are you coming?"

"Coming to what?"

Rue rolled her eyes. "I just told you what before class started."

"Oh, oh! That New Year's Eve Party? I don't know."

"Oh c'mon, you can't stay home and have a glass of wine by yourself again."

Ahiru smiled awkwardly. "I don't know, I'm not really a party person."

Rue rolled her eyes. "It's just a small get together!"

"It's your old friends from college." Ahiru stated. "The ones from the sorority?"

Rue bit her lip. "Yes. But they've calmed down. Besides, Fakir will be there."

Ahiru screwed up her lips. "Why would I care about that?"

"Ahiru. He comes here everyday and you always come out and speak to him." Rue crossed her arms. "He barely says hello to me anymore."

"We're friends." Ahiru said, shrugging awkwardly and avoiding her eye.

"Well then it won't be a problem."

Ahiru's gaze flashed to Rue before she turned away again, a small, but knowing smirk.

"Well Pique, I don't know, I don't go to parties."

"You shaved your legs, right?" Pique asked over FaceTime.

"Yes. I did."

"Wear that sparkly blue one! The one Lillie and I got you!"

Ahiru pouted. "I don't know, it's kind of a lot." Ahiru went to the suitcase that still had her gifts in it and lifted up the sparkling blue dress she spoke about. It was short, and the straps were two thin black cords of string that crossed in the back.

"It's perfect for a New Years Eve party! What's Rue wearing?"

"Her little red dress."

"See? You'll look great."

Ahiru grimaced at Pique. "Are you sure?"

"Positive!"

Ahiru ran her finger over the shimmering fabric.

Ahiru stood behind Mytho and Rue as they knocked at the door, through which she could already hear loud, obnoxious music.

"A small get together?" Ahiru whispered into Rue's ear.

"Shut up."

Ahiru giggled as the door was opened and they were pulled inside.

She was handed a glass of champagne and thrust into the madness, but did her best to stick to Rue, and she could have stayed there all night, if a hand that wrapped itself around hers pulled her away from her party going companion.

"Hey! What're- oh." Ahiru stopped her accusations when she saw who held her hand, and a gentle smile graced her lips. "Fakir."

"Rue told me you'd come."

Ahiru beamed and stepped closer. "She told me you'd come."

"You don't look comfortable."

"I'm not." Ahiru looked down at the dress. "It's the one-"

"Pique and Lillie got you." He nodded. "I remember."

"I guess it's only been a week, huh?"

"Go get your coat, I can barely hear you."

Ahiru smiled and nodded, placing her glass of champagne on a table, she grabbed her coat and Fakir helped her get into it.

"Oh shit, I forgot."

"What?" She asked, tugging her hair out from the coat collar and opening the door.

"I didn't drive myself here."

"Oh, I didn't either." She looked out into the snow, the dark and cold, but she didn't really feel like going back inside either. "Do you want to walk?"

He looked down at her, questioning her decision, but he shut the door behind him.

"I think my place is closer."

"Oh? And how do you know?"

"Because I live down the street."

"Maybe I live next door."

"Do you?"

She laughed. "No."

They started walking away and down the street.

"We can still stay up till midnight, and then I can take you home."

Ahiru nodded. "That would be nice. Rue said it was just going to be a small get together."

"And I knew it wouldn't be, which is why I had a plan b."

"Always so smart, aren't cha?"

"One of us has to be."

"Hey!" She gave him a playful shove.

He smiled down at her, softly like the glow of the full moon.

Then she had an idea.

She bent down and picked up a handful of snow and lobbed it at his spine.

"Hey!"

She giggled wildly and wasn't too surprised when one hit her stomach.

A few more hit her before she was able to collect enough snow for a second one, but as soon as she did she bounced up and threw at him, hitting him square in the face.

"Oh Fakir!" She ran towards him, his hands covering his nose and eyes. "Oh I'm so sorry!"

But as soon as she was close enough, he wrapped his arms around her waist and toppled to the ground.

"That's cold!" She squealed, trying to get up, but he was bent over her, unwilling to let her up just yet. She let herself catch her breath but mostly she gazed up at him, into his eyes. She placed a hand on his cheek, wiping with her thumb where she was sure most of the snow had hit him.

"Fakir, I-"

"Yes?"

"Oh- well. Never mind." Her hand dropped from his face and she looked away.

"Just tell me."

"It's nothing, we should go to your place now."

He opened his mouth to argue or say more, but he stood up and offered her his hand instead.

"You probably got melted snow all over your clothes, as well. You can change into something warmer at my place."

She nodded and for a moment didn't let go of his hand as he walked ahead.

"Do you want hot chocolate?" Fakir asked through the door as she changed into the T-shirt and sweatpants he gave her.

"With whipped cream and caramel!"

He chuckled. "Of course."

He moved to the kitchen and opened his fridge, pulling out the whipped cream and caramel he bought just in case she came over.

As soon as Rue had told him Ahiru was going to the party, he knew that she wouldn't want to be there, and it was the perfect opportunity to-

To what?

Kiss her?

Ask her out?

He couldn't, he was a coward, he should have kissed her when she was lying in the snow and looked like an angel.

Now he had her in his house, in his clothes and then what would he do then?

He knows what she would do.

She'd leave in a huff and he'd never be able to show his face at the studio again.

"You have to stir it more, it's clumping."

He gasped and nearly jumped as Ahiru pointed to the cup.

She was pressing herself against him, a hand on his shoulder to steady herself. She looked up at him and smiled.

"Thank you. For letting me change, and making me a drink!"

She hugged him around his middle and stole the drink from his hands to finish making it.

She sat on the couch, her finished drink on the coffee table as she and Fakir played thumb war.

She proved to be terrible at it, and Fakir wasn't about to just let her win, but he never made any moves to win.

"Have you read the book I gave you?"

He smirked. "Not yet."

"You have to!"

The television played in the background, gentle music while the world waited for the clock to reach midnight.

"I have to tell you something, I've already read it."

"You should have told me that!" She flushed in embarrassment. "Oh! But do you like it?"

"It's not my favorite story."

"What! How could you say that!"

"I try not to like my own stories too much."

Ahiru's thumb paused and Fakir put his thumb over hers and she looked up at him. "What?"

He smirked. "I try not to-"

"I heard you! What do you mean!"

"I wrote it."

"No you didn't." She shook her head, pulling her thumb out from under his.

"I did. I can show you the dates I wrote them, a long time before it was published."

She started to smile, she could see the honesty in his eyes, and when she thought about it, she could see himself as the author, his manner and way of speaking reflected in his writing. "It really is yours." Then she grew very red. "I gave you your own book."

He switched his hands to hold both of hers. "I appreciate it. I appreciate that you like it."

"Like it? I love it." She leaned her head against his shoulder and he kissed the top of her head. "You know, we're not pretending anymore."

"I know." He let go of one of her hands and cupped her cheek.

On the TV, the countdown started.

"Do you remember what you said on Christmas Eve? Or what I promised?"

She shook her head, she didn't remember anything. "No."

"I promised I'd stay by your side."

"3!..2!..1!"

"Will you?" She asked.

"I promised." He tilted her head, and watched her eyes dart down to his mouth.

He swooped down and captured her lips, something he meant.

Something real.

With no audience.

With every intention that tomorrow he could kiss her again.

He pulled away and rested his forehead against hers.

Ahiru smiled, "Is it too soon to ask if I can move in?"

"No, it's cold without you." He intertwined their hands.

"Do you want to go with me again, next year?"

"To your family's?"

She nodded.

"We'll get really good at acting like a couple by then."

Ahiru laughed, and peppered his face with kisses.

"I think they'll expect us to be engaged by next year."

"Maybe they'll get what they want." He kissed her nose before he pulled away.

"Promise?"

"I do."


End file.
